Wash-It Wednesday

Snapped a quick pic yesterday during our “Wash It Wednesday” time together. Every Wednesday, one of the boys is responsible for washing, folding and putting away all the towels, washcloths and cloth napkins. While I wash all the family clothes, (I do a load a day each morning to stay on top of it) they rotate weekly on who’s responsibility it is to do the washing for our family.

To be honest, I could do it far more quickly and efficiently without their “help”. But then I’d not only miss out on the sweet privilege of shared conversation and time together, but also on the opportunity for them to learn a life skill that will serve them well when they’re older. Add knowing how to do laundry to their figuring out time management and “Wash It Wednesdays” seems like a win all around.

And as we work side by side, I can’t help but think of my Heavenly Father. He could accomplish His purposes far more quickly and efficiently without me…but He lovingly invites you and I to partner with Him as He loves, redeems and restores this broken world.

What are the rhythms in your home? I’m always looking for new ideas about sharing the housework as a family together!

#WashItWednesdays

#Rhythms

#Family

#Housekeeping

#Homekeeping

#Chores

#Housework

#Motherhood

#MomLife

#Laundry

#ALoadADay

Cocoa Amidst the Chaos

It was a rough night, followed by a rough morning. Multiple clothing changes, multiple night time calls, and I was awake far earlier than I wanted to be, accompanied by a sidekick.

By 7:00 am the day was already spinning out of control in ways I didn’t want. Have you had one of those days recently?

As I started to put out the plates and cups for breakfast, I tried to take a moment to quiet my soul. After all, it wasn’t my day, it was His…and if this was His plan for me this day, then I could trust that it was good.

And then one child spotted the first white flakes of the season drifting down from the gray sky, and a joyous cheer echoed throughout the house. You see, one of our family rhythms is that when it snows, we have cocoa to celebrate.

And with that, breakfast turned into a celebration, and the entire morning took on a different tone. There was laughter and talk of the day’s plans, and my Mama heart whispered that this day, too, was a day that the LORD had made, and there was much to rejoice and be glad in.

Cocoa amidst the chaos reminded me to rejoice. What has reminded you to rejoice in this season?

#Cocoa

#HotChocolate

#Motherhood

#MomTruth

#SoulCare

#FirstSnow

#Rhythms

#AroundtheTable

Unit Blocks for Open-Ended Play

Good Afternoon, Mama. It’s been a rainy couple days here in the Northeast, and the kids have been playing more inside than out.

Two of the toys that get the most play in our home are unit blocks and peg figures. We’ve had the unit blocks for years and years*, and my eldest son often makes peg figures for his siblings for birthdays and Christmas.

It’s open-ended toys like this that fuel kids’ creativity and allow them to enter deeply into their play. Those blocks have been doll houses, car ramps, play food, boy band stages, balance beams, and, in this pic, a peg figure Mario Kart race course.

My kids ages 0-14 all play with them (or at least build for younger siblings with them) and all the kids who come over to play naturally gravitate towards them as well.

What toys get the most play in your home? What open-ended toys are on your wish list to purchase?

*Unit Blocks are EXPENSIVE. Ours are Community Playthings, a wonderful company that makes their blocks right here in the Northeast US. The grandparents gifted us a small set one Christmas, and then I slooooowly built our set up one tiny purchase at a time. Community Playthings allows you to purchase sets of 2-8 blocks individually, and that’s what I did through the years as I had a little bit of extra money (individual sets start at $14) until we now have the set we do today.

#UnitBlocks

#WoodenBlocks

#OpenEndedPlay

#OpenEndedToys

#CommunityPlaythings

#DebtFree

#DebtFreeLifestyle

#Motherhood

#Parenting

#FamilyFun

#ChristmasGifts

#Presents

#Simplicity

#NYCMoms

#JerseyCityMoms

#HobokenMoms

Purchases and Your Values

Good Morning, Mama. It’s Cyber Monday, and we’re just past Black Friday. What are you investing in?

We have been saving gift cards for awhile now, and just purchased some patio furniture and a gas fire table. In November. In New Jersey.

What might seem like a waste of our precious little resources to some was actually a deeply thought out decision. We really try (and sometimes fail!) to make purchases aligned with our values—and one value our family holds tightly to is that of hospitality and fellowship, and regularly gathering with friends and family. That value has certainly been tested in 2020.

It’s been hard to wrap our minds around hosting and gathering with all of this year’s upheaval and uncertainty. With masks and precautions and regulations. How can we love on folks from a distance? How can we gather with those we love?

And so…even though there is much INSIDE of our house that is in need of replacing (tattered and torn sofas, I’m looking at you), we decided to take what we had and make a cozy spot OUTSIDE. A small place we could continue to gather with friends and family. A place to laugh and love, and share memories in the midst of this crazy year.

Maybe we’ll replace those tattered sofas next year, when we are back to (hopefully!) gathering inside…but this year, we’ll focus on loving folks where and how we can.

Here’s for a pic of us sharing our patio with family this weekend.

How are you choosing to live out your values through your purchases?

#MomTalk

#Family

#FamilyValues

#Values

#OutdoorLiving

#Patio

#Firepit

#NYCMoms

#HobokenMoms

#JerseyCityMoms

Simple Traditions

Good Afternoon, Mama. One of the most beloved “traditions” in our home is our holiday books. We have a few books for each of the major holidays kept in a small tote in a closet, and we pull them out the week of the holiday.

Traditions don’t have to be elaborate. Or expensive. Or even Insta-worthy. For 5 kids in over a span of 14 years, these three books are the only Thanksgiving books we own. They are slightly bent, with corners broken. But they are truly loved.

Some years we get other books from the library. This year, we didn’t. Having that little tote on the floor of the closet makes it super easy for me to flip through the books and pull out the Thanksgiving ones. Having just a few books makes me much more likely to actually get around to pulling them out.

This morning, we sat on the couch, snuggled, and talked about why we celebrate Thanksgiving. We read our books and colored turkeys*. The big kids wrote something they were thankful to God for on each feather. These will be the centerpieces for our dinner tomorrow.

Spending time with your littles doesn’t have to be complicated…or even picture worthy. What matters more is you, enjoying them and pouring into them.

What fun non-Instagram worthy activity have you done with your kids lately?

*From the Pond has amazing FREE printable coloring pages! They are one of my favorite resources for seasonal activities. You can follow the link to their page and go to the Coloring Pages section. Once you sign up for their free email, you can access their entire coloring library!

#Thanksgiving

#ThanksgivingBooks

#ThanksgivingActivity

#Motherhood

#Parenting

#MomTruth

#Family

#FamilyTime

#NYCMoms

#JerseyCityMoms

#HobokenMoms

Stay the Course

Good Morning, Mama. Are you still in the joyful yet exhausting days of littles who depend on you to meet all their needs, both during the day and through the night?

Me too.

And YET…the other morning, after being up most of the night with a teething baby, I came downstairs just in time to snap this pic. It was pretty early in the morning still, but these two had gotten dressed, brushed their teeth, and were busy working on their schoolwork for the day while Mama slept.

We’ve been following the same rhythms and routines for enough time that Mr. 10 & Mr. 7 simply get out of bed each morning and begin the day, whether Mama is there to direct them or not. Later in the morning, we gather together to read the Bible, share stories, and work on group projects.

Stay the course, sweet Mama. The rhythms you are steadily carrying out today are the ones that will bear fruit tomorrow. Or next week. Or next year. Keep showing them the way, and doing the same thing, over and over again. Although you can’t yet see the harvest, your sowing and planting is not in vain. Easier days are coming.

#MomTruth

#Motherhood

#Momlife

#Parenting

#Homeschool

#HomeschoolLife

#Rhythms

#Routines

#NYCMoms

#JerseyCityMoms

#HobokenMoms

A Different Thanksgiving

How are you feeling about this week, Mama?

Thanksgiving will be different this year. It feels like everything is different this year. Have you given yourself space to grieve the differences?

Our Thanksgiving with a new baby will be nothing at all like I envisioned…and YET…

He is still faithful.

The King is still on the throne

He’s got the whole world in His hands.

His plan is still good.

And so we will gather our little family together and give thanks. Because the truth is, we have much to be thankful for. We’ll look back over this year and count our blessings. We’ll give

thanks for those we wish were gathered ‘round our table and pray for them as they gather in other places. We’ll color pictures and cook together and share a meal…and through it all, we’ll share stories of His faithfulness.

How are you celebrating Thanksgiving this year?

#Thanksgiving

#MindfulMotherhood

#Soulcare

#Motherhood

#MomTruth

#Parenting

#FamilyTime

#Holidays

#Meals

#AroundtheTable

#NYCMoms

#JerseyCityMoms

#HobokenMoms

Up Against a Wall?

Hey, Mama. Do you ever feel like you’re up against a wall in your motherhood? Like there’s a challenge that you just can’t overcome, a task that you just can’t complete? You’re stuck?

When entire days and weeks begin to feel like that, it’s a cue to pause. To take time to reflect, and problem solve. To change course. You are called to motherhood…and you are doing a terrific job! And you can figure this out.

Maybe it’s a crazy infant stage. Or a stubborn toddler. Maybe it’s virtual school, or video games, or kids not doing their chores. Maybe it’s teenager attitudes, or no breathing room for yourself.

Whatever it is, don’t just keep plowing through life, struggling to stay afloat. Change course and try something different. It may take a few tries. It may take many…but don’t give up until you’ve figured out a way to make life work again. Pray about it, listen to His voice. Make a plan and try again.

Being a Mama is challenging…but it’s also life-giving! Taking the time to pause, and tweak the areas that need tweaking, can make life so much simpler in the long run.

You’ve got this, Mama. I’m cheering for you.

#MomTruth

#Motherhood

#Parenting

#NYCMoms

#HobokenMoms

#JerseyCityMoms

Good Enough

Hey, Mama. Have you ever wanted something that’s simply beyond your means?

For years, I’ve wanted a mud kitchen for our backyard. A little wooden stand with a basin and a counter, and metal pots and pans for making mud pies.

It’s simply beyond our means. It’s not something we will budget or even save for…it’s a beautiful toy that we won’t be purchasing.

But we do have this little plastic play kitchen in our backyard. I bought it used, and it came with a few dented pots and pans, some spoons and spice jars.

And oh, if you could only know how many mud pies have been made there. And acorn stews. And leaf salads. That little plastic kitchen is a constant source of backyard joy.

It’s not Instagram worthy…except that it is. It’s not what I might have chosen if our resources were unlimited…but they aren’t. And that little plastic second hand kitchen is GOOD ENOUGH…good enough for lots of laughter and play, and good enough so that we can use the resources He has so generously given in the way He’s calling us to.

As you plan for gifts this year, is there something you have your eye on that’s simply not in the budget? Is there something that will stand in as good enough, so that you are free to pursue His best purposes?

#MomTruth

#Motherhood

#Parenting

#Family

#Backyard

#BaxkyardIdeas

#Budget

#DebtFree

#DebtFreeLifestyle

#LiveWithinYourMeans

#Gifts

#Presents

#ChristmasGifts

#BirthdayGifts

How A Weekly Meal Plan Can Simplify Your Days

Good Morning, Mama. It can be exhausting figuring out dinner night after night. For me, it wasn’t the cooking, it was the deciding what to cook that was so hard!!!

We’ve been using this simple rhythm for years, and it’s made dinner time so much easier. It actually allows for a lot of variety, while cutting down on the decisions I daily make.

Every Monday is breakfast for dinner. Pancakes, French Toast, Omelettes & Eggs might be choices on Monday’s.

Tuesday is for Tacos. We’ve done Blackened Chicken, Beef, Shrimp, Pork & Fish.

Pasta on Wednesday. Pasta with Meat Sauce, Pasta with Veggies, Shrimp Alfredo, Sausage & Pepper Pasta, etc.

Thursday is Asian Cuisine. Fried Rice, Tikka Masala, Peanut Chicken, Lo Mein, Egg Drop Soup, or some other favorite dish.

Friday’s are for fast food!! This is the kids’ favorite day. We’ve made burgers, pizza, wings, empanadas, cheesesteaks and chicken nuggets.

Saturday is the day that I’ll try a new recipe or do a more “complicated” family favorite. Roast Chicken, Broccoli Cheddar Soup, Chicken & Dumplings and Meatloaf are all possibilities.

And Sundays we do a slow cooker meal, so that when we come home from church, food is ready. Potato Soup, Ropa Vieja and Italian Chicken Sandwiches are some of the recipes we rotate through.

How do you plan your meals throughout the week?

#MealPlanning

#MealPlan

#WhatsForDinner

#NYCMoms

#HobokenMoms

#JerseyCityMoms